It's just a small cut, don't worry
by adonisadonia
Summary: AU: A worried Rukia is waiting for her firefighter husband Ichigo. Sweet fluff ensues.


" **It's just a small cut, don't worry"**

At the sound of the approaching car, Rukia looked up from the canvas she was swabbing with cotton. She heard Ichigo park 'Moonbeam' as quietly as he could. She soon heard Ichigo's heavy footsteps sound on the driveway towards the door. She looked at the clock as she heard his keys in the lock.

Ichigo was trying to be as quiet as he possibly could, probably because he hadn't seen the light in the den, where Rukia was sitting. But even from far away, Rukia could hear his soft breathing, the shuffle of his feet as he toed off his boots and hung up his jacket.

"Ichi...", she called out to him. A moment later, Ichigo appeared at the arch to the den. His orange hair was an unruly mess, his clothes were dishevelled and there were smudges of ash and soot on his tanned face. His bicep was sporting a dark, red or brown stain. Blood. There had been at least one fire tonight, Rukia knew.

"Ruki, shouldn't you be sleeping? It is quite late, Angel."

He looked tired, more like he was exhausted – bone tired, but at that moment he seemed to be only worried about Rukia, which was crazy. Rukia had been safe, at home, with the doors and windows locked. The only danger she was in, was to get a couple of paper cuts or slip on the paints she had spread out on the den floor, around her canvas. Ichigo was the one out there, saving people from burning fires, which gave him at least ten-twelve different ways to either die or to get severely injured.

"Ichi. You are injured. What happened? Are you okay? Come on, come sit down, I'll go call Otou-san or Yuzu-chan…"

"Rukia, it's just a small cut, don't worry."

Rukia's fingers shook as she pushed the canvas out of her way. She stood up with her half-finished cup of tea, setting it aside on the coffee table. She moved next to Ichigo. Took his gear from his arms and laid it on the ground near her canvas. She made Ichigo sit down on the couch. He put his feet on the coffee table with a soft groan. Rukia lightly caressed his face with her tiny hands.

"That's not just a cut Ichigo, it's a deep gash. Tell me what happened?"

Rukia looked at her husband sternly, who looked back into her sapphire eyes with his own amber eyes, looking partly amused and partly sorry.

"I fell, from the rig, which is pretty silly of me, but I'm fine. Honestly."

Ichigo gave Rukia a small, tired smile, while she continued to caress his face and play with the hair along his nape.

"I'll clean your face and arm. You stay put, I'll be back with a wash cloth."

Without listening to Ichigo's protests, Rukia hurried off and came back with a tray filled with a bowl filled with lukewarm water, a wash cloth and the first aid box, in under a minute. She settled on the couch next to her husband and leaned forward to start cleaning his face.

Ichigo stilled her, by holding her wrists lightly.

He slowly and gently lifted her tiny frame, and made her sit on his lap.

Rukia just gave him a coy smile and started to softly pat the wet cloth on Ichigo's smudgy and scratched cheek. She cleaned his face and moved on to his bicep. She cleaned the gash with water first, followed by some antiseptic.

"You should be a nurse," Ichigo joked. His good arm slid around Rukia's waist to secure her. "Why didn't you go to bed Ruki? You knew I had a late shift."

Rukia just gave him a silent gentle smile and continuing her work to dress his wounds, dabbing ointment onto the gash.

A few minutes passed in absolute silence as Rukia continued to pamper Ichigo.

"I couldn't," she admitted in a small voice, while playing with the hem of his T-shirt. "I couldn't sleep without your arms holding me. Without knowing if…."

Ichigo pulled her closer. Snuggling her further into his embrace and warmth. He didn't need her to complete her sentence.

It had always been this way. For years now. Ichigo working late meant that Rukia wouldn't sleep until she heard the familiar sounds of Ichigo coming home. A few times, she pretended to be asleep, just to make Ichigo feel less bad, but she could relax only once Ichigo was with her.

His job frightened Rukia, constantly. She knew the dangers. But she also knew how important it was to Ichigo to do this, and how good he was at his job. She would never make him get another job, never ask him to give up being the honest man he was.

"I'm here now," Ichigo said gently. His fingers traced a familiar pattern on Rukia's back, blindly tracking the tiny moles present on her pale back. "I will always come back to you, you hear me? I'm not leaving you, I promise."

"You can't be certain. You can't promise me that," Rukia said softly. They had this conversation many times. She patted the last blood away and cleaned up the water and kit. As she washed her hands in the kitchen, Ichigo stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

"And you can't promise me you won't get hit by a car tomorrow or slip on the paints and get a concussion. We're both vulnerable. We all are. And that's scary. I'm just taking advantage of all the knowledge and strength I have to save other's." He kissed Rukia's hair as she relaxed against his shoulder.

Rukia stuttered her reply. "I know. I know that. I'm just- scared. For you."

She turned around in Ichigo's hands.

"I know. I understand," Ichigo repeated before kissing her tenderly. "But so am I. That means we love and care for one another, right?"

He lightly kissed her temple and brushed his calloused hands across her hair. "Come on, let's go to bed."

As Rukia slid under the covers and snuggled up to Ichigo, she finally felt comfortable. Ichigo's warm, strong arms felt protective around her body, like she was wrapped up in a ball of fluffy and soft cotton. Lying on his chest to hear his heartbeat was one of the most comforting things for Rukia. His heart rhythm was one of her favourite sound.

Ichigo pulled her closer, as if lives depended on it.

"Saturday tomorrow." He slurred, his voice deep, thick and exhausted.

"Yes." Rukia whispered, smiling freely, because they both had a day off.

"We could stay in bed all day… Or go out, if you want," Ichigo hedged softly.

Rukia smiled again as she felt Ichigo's inhale the sweet smell of her hair.

"We'll see," she said absently.

She didn't mind what they would do, as long as they would do it together.


End file.
